Hydraulic mold.



IVI. KNOPP.

HYDRAULIC MOLD.

APPLlcATmN HLED MAY 1|, 1918.

Pafented Feb. 18, 1919.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

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Application tiled May 1l., 1918. Serial No. 233,889.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MAX KNOPP, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, in the county of Kings and State of N ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Molds, of

which the following is a specification.

'lhis invention relates to hydraulic molds used in blocking and shaping hats. These hydraulic molds are used in conjunctionwith hydraulic presses in the lower stationary half of which is held a. die usually of metal ou which the mold fits. The upper half of the press-is movable vertically so as to be pressed down against the lower half and is provided with an expansible rubber water bag which extends into the crown of the hat in the pressing operation. Molds of the character herein referred to have heretofore been made of leather, but numerous diiliculties have been had with the leather mold. 'llhus very often in the pressing operation the rubber water bag is punctured and the hot water runs out on the leather mold and burns it, practically ruining it so that it is no longer available for further use. The

leather, furthermore softens under the in-l fluence of the moisture and in very short time the mold loses its shape and becomes useless. rllhe leather molds furthermore are very expensive, both as to the initial cost and from the stand point of the life of the mold. I

Among the objects, therefore, of my pres' ent invention is to provide a hydraulic mold for the purpose described of such construction that it shall not be in any way affected as to usefulness by the hot water that may run out of the rubber bag and to further provide a mold of such construction that it may be available for reuse after having once been used in the hydraulic press and moistened thereby. A further object of the present invention is to provide a hydraulic mold of the character described which shall retain its shape under long use, be durable and yet be cheap to manufacture and simple 1n construction.

Further objects and advantagesof this invention will appear from the detailed description and the features .of novelty will be particularly pointed out 1n the claims.

lin the drawing accompanying this specification and forminga material part thereof.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my newly improved mold.

- of my invention shown in the Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-section thereof showlng the mold in place onv the die (shown dotted) and,

Fig; 3 is a longitudinal cross-section drawn on a similar scale.

The mold referred usually comprises a shaped body portion adapted to t on the die in the lower half of the hydraulic press and an extension to which may .be secured a crown portion shaped to conform to the crown of a hat of a given style. ln the use of this mold the hat is fitted thereon, the brim resting against the brim portion of the mold and the crown of the hat tting over the crown portion attached to the extension. With this prelimito in this specication nary explanation, the particular embodiment drawing will now be understood.

Referring in detail to the drawing, my newly improved mold is seen to consist of the shaped body portion l0 formed with the extension 11 to which may be secured a crown portion 12 (not shown in full). As will be clear the body portion l0 is shaped Vtoconform to and to receive the brim of the hat and to fit on the die in the press, as clearly shown in the drawing. The invention resides in the particular material of which the body portion and extension is made whereby the variousobjects and advantages hereinbefore set forth are attained. lln the particular embodiment shown in the drawing the body portion 10is made from inner' layers 13 of canvas covered by the outer layers 14 of similar material such as buckram. To secure stiffness and to insure these layers holding together l preferably place therebetween some suitable cementin and stitfening material 14 which may melt un der the influence of heat. For this purpose I have found gelatin the best adapted but no doubt other materials may be used. l have found, however, that gelatin is particularly of advantage in that it helps the mold to relll@ are integral with the body portion and formed from the same pieces of buckram or canvas. However, between the inner layer 13 andthe outer layers 14 of the extension I insert a comparatively rthick layer 16 of some st i adhesive material such, for example as cooked rubber. This layer tapers down from the beginning of the extension beyond the end of the inner layer of canvas 13 and unites with another layer 17 of similar adhesive material which cooperates therewith to secure thereto the crown portion 12 usually made of vulcanized rubber. The latter it will beclear is readily secured to the extension under the influence of heat by a vulcanizing process. The means just described for attaching the crown have been found very effective in securing the crown to the body and at the saine time providing the desired stiffness and for the retaining of the desired shape.

Molds made in the way herein described and disclosed employing instead of leather, fabrics such as canvas with stiffening and adhesive means between layers of material, have been found after being shaped as desired to retain this shape, remaining stiff when dry and recovering their original 4shape and stiffness after being moistened in the press. The. materials furthermore are very cheap, much more so than leather7 and the initial cost is consequently materially.

reduced. In addition molds made according to my new construction have the advantages of longer life and efficiency.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure b v Letters Patent is:

1. A hydraulic mold comprising a shaped body portion formed from layers of fabric and means between said layers adapted'to hold them together in the shape given the-reto. o,

2. A hydraulic mold comprising a shaped body portion formed from layers of fabric and adhesive stifl'ening means between said layers adapted to hold them together in the shape given thereto.

3. A hydraulic mold comprising a shaped bodyy portion formed from layers of fabric and gelatin between said layers adapted to hold them together in the shape given thereto.

4. A hydraulic mold comprising a shaped body portion formed from layers of canvas Vhold them together in the shape given thereto and an extension integral with said body portion whereby a crown portion may be attached.

6. A hydraulic mold comprising a-shaped body portion formed from layers of fabric and means between said layers adapted to hold them together in the shape given thereto and an extension integral with said body portion whereby a crown portion may be attached, and stiffening adhesive means within said extension. l

7. A hydraulic mold comprising a shaped body portion formed from layers of fabric and means between said layers adapted to hold them together in the shape given thereto and an extension integral with said body portion whereby the crown may be attached, said extension comprising outer layers of fabric integral with the outer layers of the body portion and a layer of adhesive stiftening material within said outer layers.

8. A hydraulic mold comprising a shaped body portion formed from layers of fabritl and means between said layers adapted to hold them together in the shape given thereto and an extension integral with said body portion whereby the crown may be attached. said extension comprising outer layers of fabric integral with the outer layers of the body portion and a tapered layer of adhesive stiifening material within said outer layers.

A hydraulic mold comprising a shaped bodyY portion formed from layers of canvas and gelatin between said layers -adapted to hold them together in the shape given thereto. and an annular extension integral with said bod)v portion comprising outer layers of canvas and an inner canvas layer of lesser width than said outer layers and a tapered layer of cooked rubber within said extension extending beyond said inner layer whereby a crown portion may be vulcanized to said extension.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York this first day of May, A. D. 1918.

. MAX KNOPP. 

